Grading machine



July 20, 1943. A. G. B. METCALF GRADING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 1?. 43227 A. G. B. METCALF July 20, 19436 GRADING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1941 July 1943- A. G. B. METCALF I GRADING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 14, 194].

INVENTOR.

July 20, 1943. A. G. B. METCALF GRADING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y INVlj-INTOR.

HQE.

July 20, 1943. A. G. B. METCALF GRADING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1941 8 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR.

BY 6 W @awm 0 I l l i I I lllillll ulllllllllllllll IIIIIIIIIII I l I J l I l I l l K l l l l I 1 l l I I I l l l I 1 l I II III y 1943- A. G. B. METCALF 2,325,011

GRADiNG MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet e July 20, 1943. A. G. B. METCALF 2,325,011

GRADING MACHINE Fi'led Nov. 14, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet July 943.

A. 6.5. ME FI v GRADING- MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1941. 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented July 20, 1943 U NiTED STATES PATENT BFFPCE This "invention relates 'to grading machines that class which grade flied-nut pieces of leather such as cutsoles, taps, heel lifts, and other blanks, in accordance withth'ej thickness of the thinnest *psrt thereof as detected'fhy t e blank-measuring rn'echani'sm of the inachiha'thc primary object o'f -the invention'beingto improve the "Construction and operation "of machines'of this class-particularly with respect to thehiahlemeasuri g'cr caiipering m chanism "and theirs):

ti on-trar'rsmitting devices throughwhich blank-measuring or calipeffing mechanism controls antloperates the=aojustable grading mechanism'of themachine, j v I I v The term g'radin'g' machine is established in this art as a generic'term, and includes'devices for stamping or marking each blank withits grade-indicating character; evening or skiving the blank. eitherin wholeor in part, downtothe grade thickness of its "thinnest part or spot;

indicating on a visual indicator the grades of thedifferent blanks as they pass through the machine, and also sorting 'or distrihuting'the blanks to segregatethe difierent grades.

lExamples -of someotthe types just referred to are 'found in U. '5. patent to CoggswelL'No. ightens? "granted October 2, 1928 --wherein the grading-mechanism'comprises a visual indicator; in *U.-S.-pa'tent toCdggswell, No. 1,7265610 granted September 3, 1929 wherein the grading mechanism comprises evening or 'skiving devices, and in U. S. patent to CoggswelLNo; 1,741,149 granted December 31, 1929 whereinthe grading mechanism-ccm rises sorting or distributing devices. 4

am the machines of these patents the blank measuring mechanism comprises *upper and'loweihlank-calipering rolls "between which the" blanks are passed one at a timeythe shaft of thennp er roll being mounted in fixed. hearinsand the,

lower roll being yieldingly supported so that it is movable toward and fromthe upper ro'llin a substantially vertical plane under the influence of variations in the thickness of the blank as the latter passes between the rolls. The lower roll is connected withthe grading mechanism by a train or system of motion-transmitting and amplifying elements-through which said lower roll acts to set or adiust the grading mecharnsmin accordance with the thickness of the thinnest spot or portion of the blank that is detected by the rolls. Usually the setting of the gradang mechanismas effected by the caliperihg rolls accorded with a thickness, as measured in trans or fraction thereof, that is nearest to butno't greater than the thickness of the thinnest spot,

an iron being equal to one forty-eighth i r v v I,

."Tl'ifi, J snfl w lmh h w T011 1 yieldingly supported was comparatively" n'rassive, hears? an .'qomn a edwlfi h e ded't wa s ethinn s t Jai n. whil new o an m ts, a amiiniy'in v ces by: wh chth ii' placcmentof the'lower calliperlngroll was comrhunicated to the'grading mechanism included of an i connecting rods, links, crank arnis, levers, radius the like, which introducedfinaccuracy terh'red cosine error, the -latter"'beinggdefined biiehy as v that {disproportionate or inaccurate transmission of motionwhich results iromfthe use of such devices, necessarily of finite length, in a mechanicallfinkage or gearing forconveitin'g 're'etilinearfrnotion into c'urvilinear motion, or vice vers'a. Also, the inertia ofthe parts'heftofore employed was a factor whichinterfered with the sensitivity of the measuring devices thus restricting the speed of operation of the machine and tending to render the mechanism inaccurate.

Itis an objeqtof'the invention to provide in:- proved motion-transmitt ng v and amplifying means "through which the blank-cali ering devices will act accurately and promptly to adjust the grading mechani'smof a machine of the class described, and it is a feature of this invention that as "a ffa'ctor contributing to this end the motion-transmitting means is l preferably, though not essentially, constructfeclmainly of very light material such as aluminum, duralur'nin or the like, so that itsfiher'tia is reduced to a miniinuin and as "a result it will quickly respond to the innuen'ce oi the calipering mechanism.

It 'is another object of the invention to pro- 'vide improved motion-transmitting and amplify ing means consisting of ,a train or system of elements whereof each is so constructed that it is devoid of the cosine error referred to above.

A further object of the invention is to .pro- 'vide improved means forcausing the calipering rolls to yieldingly engage each blank as the latter passes between them.

' With the above and other objects in view I have provided certain improvement in grading machines of the class described as set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention'b'eing separately pointed out and defined in the claims at the close of the description.

the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a grading niach'in'e constructed in accordance with my invention.

icaliperi'ng action the blank between therollsl and land. co es to ,restfi 'upon Figure 8 is a side'eleiiation of a" grading machine embodying another form of my invention. 7

Figure 9 is a central longitudinal sectional" view of the machine shown in Fig. 8. Figure 10 is a section on line iii-l9 of Figure 11 is a plan view, partly in section- 0f scribed.

of the portion of the motion-transmitting mech-:

anism shown in Fig. as viewed from the right inFigs,8 and 9..., 5 The caliperi'ng devices of the embodiment of my inventionillustrated inFigs .1. to .fl incl ive,

this eep ,7 rin s s me- At the completion Q of the 'a' shelf or bed'tplate ll whereiit contihues'to support drop rollfle in fan"elevat'edfposition until the measured bIanKi Frem Ved from the machine by the operator; The removal of the blank by the operator permits roll 'Hlfto drop and act throughthej usual ineans automatically" to occasion a single re'voluti'on of a crank arm which latter'facts through a linkfiand associated devices to' first raisegate 76 and then, while the gate is thus momentarily'eievated, to feed forward the next'blank from hopper H. As soon as the forward end of this next blank has passed beyond gate 16 the latter is permitted to drop on to the top of the blankwhere it remains partially elevateduntil it falls on from the" rear end of the latter to .stop the calipering action of the machine so far as that blank is'con'cerned and .to lock the pointer 41 'in its adjusted position. The pointer ll remains f'dischafrged from frame of the machine. recessed to embrace and pocket a collar it that v is splined on shaft i0 and made with a radial Fig. 9.

"-the' upper part of hub 9. Figure 12 is an elevation partly; in section;

fast on the armature shaft 6 of an electric motor (not shown).

In accordance with the present invention each lower roll 2 is fast on a short shaft i journaled in bearings provided in the tines of a fork formed at one end of a horizontal lever arm 8, said roll being disposed between said tines. At its opposite end the lever arm 8 is made with a hub" 9 (Fig. 2') pivotaljlyiriountedkupon a rock shaft IQ' journaled in bearings H, H, on the Each hub 9 is forked or abutment shoulder 13 (Figs. 2 and 3) which cooperates with'a pair of abutment screws 14 ad one of the roll-carrying levers hereihaftcr-de-"- justably mounted in threaded holes provided in As shown in Fig. 3 thesescrewsare tangentially disposed with respect to the axis of shaft [9 and perpendicularly with respect to the radial shoulder l3 when in engagement with the. latter. This construction provides a one-way knuckle-joint connectionbetween each lever arm 8 and shaft J0, fPivotally mounted at [5 (Fig.6). upon the1de pending'l web' of each lever. fintermediate th'e ends thereof, is a yoke 16 to. .the lo wer' intermediate portion of which is .rigidl astened fone end of a leaf spring llwh'ose .op'po te .er dis sup? ported by a fiang'edreller i s that .i iid seiy arid rotatably' mounted; upon a. he This shaftjhasi'tsopbositeends. fixed tothe frame of th'e'inachineiff H i Thespringsl'l yieldingly support .the lev''rs 8 normally at'the lirriit "of"their up war'd movement on. shaft it with the knucklejoint connec .tion' closed. and with thetw'o lower rollsl2', 2;; at .the limitof their movements toward the upper rollsections l, l. =1 The effective resistahceoi springs H to downward movement of the levers 8 may be-adjusted or varied as desired by; means of capstan abutment screws 29 mounted on the .levers 8 inposi tion to bear against .theyokes 1 6. The shaft! of each-lower roll 2' (Fig.5) {also has fixed on its. finder-gear 2! that is always in mesh with, and driven by, asimilar gear'H that is compounded with the uppef roll section VI which co -operates with said roll 2., Thus} while the machine is in use, both the upper and the lower rolls-are. continuously driven from shaft and .act to propel the blanks oneat a time throughthe machine.- At one end thereof the shaft it has f xed on it a radial arm 23 (Fig. 2) to which oneend ofa spring 24 is connected, the opposite; end of said spring being connected with the frame of the machine as indicated at" 25 ;in Fig. 6, .This spring 24 urges shaft iii in clockwise direction (Fig. 3) so as to normally hold the shoulders l 3,.of both collars i2 yieldingly against their abu'tment screws l4 but its strength is less than that of either spring I? (Fig. 6) so that the movement of shaft it under the influence of spring 24 is limited by the engagement of one, or both of the shoulders 3 with abutment screws M.

At its opposite endthe shaft Iii has fixed on it a hub or collar 26 (Figs. 1 and 2) made witha pair ofradial spring arms 27 which extend loose.- ly through apertures or holes provided in. a post 28 projecting laterally from a gear sector lever.- arm 23 that is made witha hub 36 loosely mountedon shaftlfl. The post 28 is made at one end with a. stem 3| swivelly mountedwithiman aperture provided, in arm Hand held in position therein by. a nut-32 mounted upon the outer ages-pm threaded 'end' ppr'tion-ofjsaid stem. The hub is "made with a circumferential 'slotifil (Fig. 4) is pcoupied' byafpin orst'ud t iproj'ecti-ng radially from shaft 1-0;

=' g t fitsupperfree end'vhe "gear sector hvewarm E9 is provided rack of teeth meshi -war the-teeth 'of a smallgear or pinion which is thehubof a gear sector lever 6 (Figs, 1 and?) said-small -gear-or pinion'bemg rdtata bly supported by; a ==pivot stud 3! profie'dtlng from the fraine of tfhe' machine. In ad'- drtion to the "85 theiever 36 isrnade at its free end with-ah men al arcuate rack "of 'gear teeth 88 meshing 'w'it'h' a'fiinioh so fast on the outer end *of the usual s'haft f6 *dfan indicator mechanism-1. This ass-cater mechanism *1 constructed 'and opera tesa's heretofore and intflutlesthe ome: ll *Whihls' fast the inner one of shaft mean pointerheing-adapted to oooperate with 'the--usual scale 42 arm-sea thefront face the *tishal dial bracket '43.

The upward movements of the lever arms E underthe influen'oepi the springs M (Fig. 6) are i-in'ilted {ivy tlie'ii' -etrzvgemeht with a bed plate 7*! that is part/pf dihedraxrre cf the machine. a As shown *inFig. 2-b t the-drawings, thes'h aft fllismade with a lmig itudinsl "key way t5 and each abumeiat collar #12 made upon "its interior'with a ikeyqvay it within which is dispose-' a key -'4=l which proj ects' into key wa y as of shel- 4-0 thus lookin the oollar and shaft against rotaiirvedisplacement relatively. Each key is held in locking position by an adjustable screw- 42 and when this screw is set. up-tight the t then sorves'to clamp t'he'oollar t2 to shaft l i. so that it 6 hords' lever 8 against longitudinal displacement on sha-ft m. when screws-fie are loosened the iever arms 8 and their vol-151, 2, oan adjusted toward or from each other so that the rol-ls may be set; in positions relatively =to "the medial of the machine as viewed' in :21am which-are =a'ppropr'iate to' thesa'ae of theqs'lanke leeing graded and to the width-of the narrowest part themnf. In other wordsgtheoonsbmction described r-irovides for setting the loner-arms 8 sothwt their 1.5;;

mlls 2, 2 will remain in:engagement with blank throughout the -length of the latter; will be clear that; the upper roll saddens -Erna'y be positioned :on itlieiz shaft 3 :so that each 3's cpposite one o'f'the lowermollsi with its gcur' 22 in 7};

mesh with the gear Not the lower roll.

As shown in Fig.5, each lower roll-2 maycozu sist in most part of a 'cylindrical core-or bodyw of aluminum or the lithe ion to which is forced a thin cylindrical jacket-.150 of steel mother suitable wear-resisting'material. A set screw 5! secures each roll 2 to its shaft 3'. Also, the roll.- carrying arms 5 and the gear sector lever-arm 29 are preferably made lfroin aluminum or the like so as $10 iie'dsucc inertia to a The stack of blanks $2 to he graded is supported by the bottom wall 53 or "the hopper or magazine H on which they areautomatically slid torward int-o lite of rolls l and '2 one at a time by the feet! mechanism.

The :feed mechanism, constructed as usual, comprises a feed not shown, mounted in 'lo gitudinail ways provided on bottom wall 5'3 this sl de s-cnncted by lirik as with the may.

arm is fast the inner nd of short *corrrplementary dlu'tch'member t8 loosely mom-it- '-e'd upon the outer extremity of shaft -58 but 'held against longitudinal displacement thereon. 1l1th 'meniber liil the h-ubof a sprocket which is connected by a chain 5!) with-a sprodket 61- 'fast *on' the-continuously driven main -=shal t 3. Sprockel; 59 is thus continuously rotating in the direction indicated while the usual pivotally supported 1 shipper member 62 normally engages #a radial stud 68 1m clut'oh member 51 to hold the Hatter- -out of engagement with the continuous mdtafiing'iolutchamemberM. I 1. shipper memberifiz is pivotallyamuntednt :63 am t'he 'frame of machine -0Fig. 1 and is ryzield-rngily'wzged-ztoward clutch member 51 by a :sprirrgifi; llhe tree and of shipper member $2 is mmuperaltively associated, as usual. with the slower and (If iazpush mod :65 whose upper end ii's :piuotailly connected with em arm 658 test one. transverse rock-shaft 61 provided adjacent to its middle with a horizontal longitudinally disposed trip arm-5B on which adjust-ably mounted a deapendingwbracket oil-provided at its lower end with the drop roll Ml normally resting-by gravity upon 'a. bedrDlM-e M donning pant =01 the irameaaf the machine.

1 Roll 19 occupies ayposition within a slot betweenualid defined lay a pair of inclines -12 -(Fligs. ;2.- nci'6.) .so -that as the forward end-of a blank emergesfmm between the=ro1ls -l and 2 it slides an; the iincliines and .-ra;ises roll 10 and arm $8,, :therehy FIQGkiI-lg6-1-l2it 61 and arm 6.8 in adisection. to raise; push-rod '65. This upward rmovc- PmQIIt-Qf the push-rod lifts a shoulder 82 adiato the PIGWQI end thereof (Fig 1') into posimen-above the -free-end of shipper member 62 where itremains until the operator removes the graded blank-thorn the machine.

-1 .t the same time that the push-rod 4'55 is thus an arm 13 test on rock-shalt 6-1 is swung toW-ardthe right-(Fig. .19 thereby permitting the .usual start :gradingfpawl it to be thrown into action :by-itsspring (not shown) to start the ,blank-oal-ipering operation during which the usual fstoptgradingi pawl 15 .is held out of ac ,tion by the hopper. gate 76 (Fig. 5-) acting through lever J7, bell-crank T8 and 19 as in ,machmes of this type as heretofore constructed.

During the bl'ank-calipeting operation the pointer 41 -(Figl. il) responds only 'to a reduction in the thickness of -the-blank-as the rolls 4 and -2 traverse the latter and is uni'nfluenced by any increase in thickness because said pointer is held against movement toward the left by the start- .grading pawl 14. For the same reason the gear sector lever-arm -29 and ,gear sector lever 86 main undisturbed by spring M even though the increase in thiclmess depresses both lever-arrnsfl .sulficiently to open :hoth knuckle joints connectingsaid lever-arms with shaft 4-0. It is to be noted that under these circumstances the spring arms 27- rigidly oppose -ro-tative displacement of shaft til-by spring 24, the latter yieldin-gly maintaining thesstud 34 (Fig. 4) stationary Within slot 33 in the hub $8 of gear sector arm 23.

During the blank-cal-ipering interval the hopper-gate is supported in an elevated position by the blank and thereby maintains the stopgrading pawl 15 out of action thus permitting the pointer M to respond to a decreasein the thicknessof the portion of the blank being caliper-ed. "Whenthe .rear end of thelolank passes the hopper gate the, latter .falls and acts through the connections described to permit a spring 81! (Fig. 1) to throw the stop-grading pawl into ac .tiq iw i hras 1. 5 4; .lO- KSJQQ e ietet -e a-ie a u ar di platement. i ithfites i'reetiqefi t t n-.-th mirat s is haieiiitat me h m sa ejno. lockin e e t hi :atchet whce sa 1 Rem valo t eer q dvblan 1 m em e n -321QfiVS ethe @ooi tenfl emom ntazt r 1 c sQc ..--in ts diusted' posi ionl ai tt pressure ofs ine lllapyist negrad ne EB k i-b tae c -a e qva permits the; arm: 68 :to; i fl i. mete y. -.and =i he ficcomp yi g fdownwarch moveme t-10 nushqrod 65 causes the shoulderzszjtorswinezshippenrnemtheme: downwardlyiout of engagementzwith-tstud 2:63'm1ThiS permitsmlutch member :,5'l,-.-tFig.=-i7) to mtg spring pressed into engagement mithsclutch I Smember; r58 'whereup'oni'crank larm 'liti makes Lone revolution and: stopsz 1A5 :thercranki armvlsnearring! the end of- :the. revolution:justreferred to the z-stud 63 en'gagesl an- :arm: 8 l on" push-rod? 55-:and -rlisengagesrshoulc'lz'eri lnv from -shippen member- 62 which :isiswung':upwardlyiby l 'its spring-into -the path 1Of rthe approaching 'stud 63 through: which :latter it then acts .to disenga'ge clutch-member-il .(=Fig. :57 )16 from the continuofisl'y rotatlng clutch Near the start of the revolution were arm is a cane swings-"tennis; pro'v rded iin link- 54 aet'sthrdugh a j leve 84, linli 85 l'nd aqever 86, to raise gate it as'tn rewardefiner th neit mistakes fed' into positio'rl beneath it' arfd iritdthe bitef=f of folls am' 8 3 drops i and 2" the gat to h?top o'f sald nesrt blarrk hy mocha em elevated-mun g: the alipe'fing fofwaird e'n'd t he' gate amper off the: re r ene of -tlie"hlank. wiheii' the' gate ie-{raise jas aesbiiber it aet's through the connections uesenbed te throw tfie the-blank during the caliberingoperationf I'n the embodiment of -my invention 'illustrated in Figs. 8 -to 12,---incl us'ive,""the ""ai shaft 3 'ha s adjustably mounted iifionita-p'alir ofjnp e; calipe ring roll section's" I li k'e-"tho L toqegesmb a, and below' each rollsectioln arrangeda Q'w' r fi i e 2 Fi s-j end -9 ota iably'and independently supported by a gear sec: tor lever to offthe'thirdjbrder loosely fulcrumed I a t tb iti fi e a. @P b te. nds

w h, t-f5? th ri ge w t water a rl aw i h i 959 a d hei a dhe n w,

araeoil At a d t t-e ae ntta Waite? .endieach; lever 8a isImade withg a transverse hear; vi'ng. (Pier 1 1) r nthe shaft 14} pft itskroll za' saiq shaft preferably being tiwnwh part, of; the .rolL. Each rollzo is disposed upon the inner,side Iofits lever 80; and its sha ft ergtendsqtlirough; the 1. lat 1 o e. o te k efthe e wh iserg:

-.-- i t e tea 1l rr afisl ad i r w h lanla l r ck Q ea t eth; W l. 1, q ntr i kt e o i q i mis a tt fia .and meshes with an arcuate raol; .of; gea r teeth r d d un ne r; ec r abu me t r l ,dt l w rln with. a. ,ub se em a d 5 9 1 r0 ea j -=J P ee @d near z' n 'si e d i hearings 'qn-. .ei me .oithe w ina Co s-3Q --fi e n P i ionsh ft 8 p tnwith framed-sel th iim hlee in holding the members .83 against glongitudi al displaoementon. shaft 89 in ither; dirction a Each aahutment member; 8 tis ;.'made;.,- wi

v a iradial abutment shoulder 9 I; and eseshoulde rs f t wo m mbers o-o te w thrad ahuta ment shoulders 92- provided at the ;o posite ends or a follower 93.,made, .at its;middle-,withsarsplit 11111) 94 that, is mounted upon rock shaft :89" and ;1 igidly fastened. thereto bycmeans. of aclamping zscr w 95.-. a {-3 At its one end rock-shaft 89 projec ts,beyond -t he;frame oi'themachine ,andhas fixed thereon vthe hub of a gear; sector lever; arm 96-1(Figs.;-.8

and provided at its free endiwithamarcuate :racl; of gear teeth meshing with; thGi-IftQQtlhflfy-fl straight rack of geanteeth-provided on ya rack memberzga'l This.;rack member occupies ja posi= ition within the-groove-of: av flanged roller:l,98

that is rotatably mounted guponihthe frame of the machine. Y Back =member 5] :is- :-made with! a longitudinal Eborewithin-Which is,slidably mount; 'ed the lower end portion 1of.;a =-stem 99 whose :upper end is rigidly- =fastened;to a second rack -member I 09. This second rack member is made with'a straight rack of-gear teethimeshinglwith the-teeth ofrtheusualtpinion 39a providedupon the outer end of the pointer-marrying :shaft:-4Q of indicator A guide block I0! on :the frame we in mesh with the teeth ofthe pinion.-

:1 1-. A coiled spring H32 mounted uponthe stem 99 bears; at its upper end against the-zupperrack member I00 and at its lower endagainstnthe lower rack member 91 thereby normallyholding the latter yieldingly against a stop nut, 193 mounted upon the lowerfthreaded end portion of stem 99. -A lock nut I04 securesthe stop nut in adjusted position. Spring-I62 is of sufiicient strength to operate indicator ;I .while the. stop? grading pawl is out of action but yields to permit upward movement of lower rack member 91 on stem 99 while said pawl is in action. 1 Each gear sector lever 8a is yieldingly urged upwardly by a relatively stiff and strong leaf spring Ila-(Fig. 9) whereof one end is pivotally fastened at |5a to the vertical web-of said-lever while its opposite end is supported by a flanged roller |8a loosely mounted-on a-transverse rod l9a fixed at its opposite ends, to the oppositevsides of the frame of the machine. Anf adjustable screw 26a carried by the lever bears against the intermediateportion of each spring'flld and this am n screw provides ion adiustment or. the pressure oiithespring; v

Upward movement oi theigear sectoar lever arm 95 Wigs. it) under the influence-cf: either or both springsl-iaiis limited-by; a stop: hrs: kEx5- provided.- Gil: the, frame: of" machine and, lbw-2111i be clear: that this. stop alsoserves the.- upward mavements of levers 8a abutment. members 88- It:- will be observed that. rotatixe displacementofipinion 39ml 8% occasioned by verticah movement. ofi rack I409: be exactly proper toisaid-i vertical incitement; that the V8!.'.-' ticak disnlacanent of rack 9:1- occasioned bar 813:.- galian movement, oil gear sector;- am 98 wilh be. err-antlerpronortianal said angular increment and: thatthe amplified angular: dismacement. or; each gear sector abntmenhmemben 88 occasional: angular movementdownwardlw of its; Iewer 8c: will. be exactly proportional: to said; maniac movement;

- Nominal-1y a: light. spring 5' fastened: at; its upper end: tcrlesre-n' arm; 95 (Eig.. 8)! yieidingh; urges said arrm downwardly." and; acts through mandala-sham 83ml yieidinglsl. urge the followers: $3: toward and; shoulders 92k oir the aabmtmentmsmbers as. We, l'mrvcr i-sscfi less-emotive strength than: eiimeaz' leaf minus I M so'that' thronghmis the: calipmingoperatixm: the Interim that. is depressed the least tlmrbianlr will: act tlntough; the connections to: controlz'the positimi or? listen: arm: 95:, mat-therefore: the position of thepointer of thez indicator. also, thus; grading. the blank aeccrdmgc tor-the: thickness 06 time thinnest spot of: time calithercrrfi The conncctionsirefemeit tmzziimimiewlrat-is in tact-a kmrckle cons meeting each: almtmemt; member 883 with, the: rock-shaft 89. A common example of a kmmk'le; join-tis. fimmdz in; thcmrnliimry carpenterfs folding rule.

'Rhe'distmce tlicancuame-raclc oi teeth of each lever 8a and the axis of fulcrum shaft law, is: substantially greatest than. the distance between: this of milk Ear-and; the axis of fiuicrum shaft lira amt angular displacelevcrfluz efiected by! the: blank: occasions mpmpnntionak but amplified; angular dispiacemam; (it its: abutment: member: 881. A150,. because the difference between: theradiuses of eacltr gm sector abntmenczmembsr' 83 and: gearsector-r armi flh'iurthaer motion. amplifying. eifects; are se cased-by the: latter.

The roli cammirng: levers 8a: can be adjustedtewarrb and trom each other: on fulcrum shat-t ifiaranull set in positions. appropriate to the: width of: the: mowestpart oi' the blank: being: graded, swirl: levers: being set so that. their rolls 201 will traverse the opposite side marginal portions each blank and remain in engagement with the latter throughout the lengththereof. The racks of gear teeth on abutment members $8 are made sufiiciently wide to permit of adjustment of lovers 8a as described without disengagement of their racks from the racks of said abutment members.

It is true of both forms of my invention that upon completion of each caliperins or measuring operation the pointer-carrying shafts M! are locked in grade-indicating positions and shortly thereafter the rear end of the blank is discharged from between the calipering rolls.

When this occurs during the operation of the first form above described the pin and slot connection illustrated in Fig. 4, permits the lever arms 8 to be moved toward their normal elevated positions by their springs HE independently of the gear: sector lccersarm; 29% (Fig. 1-); and: oppossitiom trz-fl'iepul'li oii sprmg' 2h In the caseofi the second form oi: theinwentirm. described above; the lever arms; 8c: are at; such; time-returned to; their normal elevated positions: with. arm- 8:6: against; stop 1435' by their springs him which are. strong enough to overcome the. resistance: of the relatively light spring: Hi2".

What; I

L, Ian: a machine: oi the class described blank mechanism including apain 011: 1:01:15. between which. the blanks. are: fed: one-2 at a. time. by said rolls; adjustable. grading" mechanism: a mdrshatt; a spring yiielclingly urging sand: vockshaft notatiwely' in; one direction; one -way lCLIlICklE' joint means" through! which. zotative. axiginstmemt on said: nockshaflt by said' spring is -occasinn ed and controlied by caliperingr between which the blanks: are ted oncat a by? rolls; adjustable, grading meclmni'sm; arockshaf t; a springyieldingly umging said rock1- shaflt rotativelly in one direction; one-way lmnekle; joint means through which" r'otati re adfiustmemt: of saiid rockshaftby sai'cl spring is occasioned and-l controlled by: said calipea i'r-rg mechani'snr while the latter is in action so that. the final settihg of said: rockshafitis pro-portionateto theethiclcmess oi the thinnest spot oi the blank as detected? by said caliper-mg rolls; a motion tnamsnntting: and" amplifying train. o' gearing" through; which" said? rockshaft acts to adzinst: Saki-grading mechanism; one-way: abu tw ment means: through; which; said: shaft actuates said: train at gearing to adjust saidgrading" mechanism whenroclced in onedirection bysazid spring; and a). secondspringv directly connecting; saidfrockshafii. with; one. endof said train: of gearing: for permitting: rocking movement of said roelcshaft in theoppositedirection by: said calipe-ring mechanism: independently of said traiim of' gearing and in opposition to said: first-mentibned spring; while said= grading mechanism is locked adiiusted condition.

3. Irv a. machine of the class described, blank caliperingr mechanism including a pair of i'oI-lcarrying: members each of which is yield-ingfly supported for cal ipering movement; independently' of theot-her: adjustable grading mechanism; a rockshafit; a spring yiel'di ngly urging said rockshaft rotatively' inonedirection; one-- way knuckle joint means through which rotative adjustment of said rockshaft by said spring is occasioned and controlled by said members while the latter are in action so that the final setting of said rockshaft is proportionate to the thickness of the thinnest spot of the blank as detected by one of said members; and motion transmitting and amplifying mechanism through which said shaft acts to adjust and set said grading mechanism.

4. In a machine of the class described, blank calipering mechanism including a pair of rollcarrying levers each of which is yieldingly supported at its free end for calipering movement independently 'of the other; adjustable grading mechanism a? rockshaftr a. spring 'yieldingly urging said rockshaft rotatively i'n one' direction;- one-way :knuckle join't .=means through' 'which rotative: adjustment .of saidrockshaft byi said spring is occasioned and controlled by said levers whileithe Iatterar'ein action -a'nd motion trans'-" mitting' and amplifying mechanism through which said: shaft; acts;- under itl'ie 'influence- ="of said spring and under the control of oneof said levers imposed upon said shaftv-through 'said knuckle 'joint -means, to; adjust -said :grading mechanism so :that athe final 2 setting thereof 'is proportionate r to: a the thickness of .the I thinnest spotzof theh-blankas detected by said lever; 5.:In2a2machine of theclass vdescribed, blank. calipering mechanism including-a pairzof r0114. carrying leversthat: arepivotally supported forbodily. adjustment towardwand from each Y other so-that theyLcan be setinspaced apart' relationaship zappropriate'to the width of ,the blank being: gradediandeach of which-is also yieldingly; sup ported at its free .end for v. calipering movementw independentlyof the other :adjustable grading mechanism; .a rockshaft; a spring yieldinglya urging :saidrockshaft rotatively-lin one direction; one-way knuckle jointmeans=through :whlch T07; tative; adjustment ='.ofsaidt zrockshaft; byisaid springis occasioned andscontrolled by saidaleversi while thelatterarein action; and motionrtrans-r' mitting .1 :and amplifyinglomechanism through; which said ishaft, acts; plunder :the influencezflofe said-spring .andvunder the control'aof; one of said levers ,imposedz: upomsaid .shaft through :said: knuckle joint, means; :toqadjust saidzgrading;

mechanism so sthat the 1final:-,-setting thereof; is

proportionatestoithe thickness zofcthe Ythinnest: 7

spot of thel-blank asdetected by said zlevenz 6.: In aJ-machine of 1the'class=.-described; blank calipe'ring mechanisms-includingatpair of rollicarrying.v jievers each of which :15? yieldingly, -sup- 1 ported at :its 1 free :end for vcalipering 'ilfiOVGlIlGDtf independently 20f rthe; other; adjustable. I gradingt mechanism; 'alro'ckshaft'; a spring yieldingly urge.

ingzisaid. rockshaftfrotativelyin one directionp one-way knuckle -j oint means through .which iretative. adjustment ofi said .rockshaftby said springis occasioned-and controlled bysaid 'leverswhile the latter are in action, and :motion transmitting. and amplifying; mechanism through .which' said; shaft acts to adjust said gradinggmechamsmsaid transmitting and amplifying mechanism include. ing as an elementthereof a stiff spring operable to yieldingly permit movement of .said rockshaft 1 ported "at its free end for caliperingmovement independently of the other; adjustable'grading mechanism; a rockshaftfi a spr ing yieldi'ngly urg ing said rockshaft "rotatlv'ely in one direction:

one-way knuckle joint means' through which ro-' tative adjustment of said rockshaft by-said spring isoccasioned and controlled bysaid levers-While the latter are 'in-action; a train of motib'ri -trans mitting and amplifying elements through which saidshaft acts toad just said gradin'g mechanism,

when the blank is discharge'd trom the'calipering mechanism and :whileothe grading' -mechanismis ldcke'd-inits adjustedcondition;-'--

':8: -=In'-'a machine-'OJE the-cIass described; the combination of-*claim= 7 and wherein the-said levers are bodily adjustable on said rockshafttoward and from: each other-so" that they 'can' be set in spaced apart relationship P appropriate to the'width oftthe-blank being'graded. .1

9. In a gradingima'cliineg: a rockshaft' provided with a pair or abutme'nts that are movable 'angu la'rly therewithi'fia pair ot-Crelativly independent caliper-ing r levers 'co-operatively associated with saidabutments so als to occasion and control ro-' tative adjustment of i said. rocksha'ft :while they are -in action measuringfa blank: detec'ting'elements carried by therfree ends-of said levers'and adapted to =1traverse: the opposite side' mar'ginal portions of the;blank,.-respectivelyl; means iyiel'ding1y supporting thezfree ends of said i levers;

grading. mechanism;'- and motion? transmitting mechanism through which irotative'adjustment of said shaftacts to adjust'said grading mechanism. 7 1

lO. In augrading-machine, :the construction set' V forth in claim 9 and wherein said levers are piv-. ota1ly= supporteduto: swing 'on :the axisi of sa'id shaft}: i

11. Ina grading machine; the construction set forth in claim 9.:andwherein said levers. are pivotally. supported by said rockshaft. v 4

= 1-2. In-a grading machine, a rockshaft provided with abutment means thatzis movable angularly therewith; a pair ofrelatively independent cali-- pering leverszco-operatively associated with said abutment means-so as tooccasion and vcontrol rotative adjustment ofsaid rockshaft while they are in action measuring a blank;! detecting elements carried by said levers and adapted to traverse the opposite-side marginal portions of the blank, respectively; means yieldingly supporting the free ends of said levers; grading mechanism,

and means through whichv rotative adjustment. of said shaft acts to adjust said grading mech anism.

I ARTHUR G. B. METCALF. 

